1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to operations involving mixed-phase streams and, more particularly, to the processing of mixed-phase streams comprising biomaterial and the concentration of biomaterial streams and other fermentation waste by enhancing heat transfer unit operations.
2. Description of Related Art
Turbulent flow during heat transfer in heating unit operations in the petroleum, chemical, food and other related industries can improve heat transfer. Laminar flow, in contrast, can have less or reduced heat transfer rates. Thus, techniques have been used to improve heat transfer by increasing the effective heat transfer area and/or by promoting turbulent flow.
Other techniques attempt to disrupt laminar flow characteristics. For example, Oliver et al., in “Heat Transfer Enhancement in Round Tubes Using Wire Matrix Turbulators: Newtonian and Non-Newtonian Liquids,” Chem. Eng. Res. Des., v. 66, p. 553-565, November 1988, describe using a central wire core onto which a series of wire loops are wound such that each loop is inclined at an angle to the core. It is inserted into a tube such that the loops come into close contact with the tube wall. The loops appear to disturb fluid flow near the tube wall and promote radial mixing as the fluid flows through the mesh of loops.
Also, Marner et al., in “Augmentation of Highly Viscous Laminar Heat Transfer Inside Tubes with Constant Wall Temperature,” Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 2:252-267 1989, report of tube flow and heat transfer under laminar flow conditions in a plain tube, an internally finned tube, and a tube with a twisted-tape insert van Rooyen et al., in “Laminar Flow Heat Transfer in Internally Finned Tubes with Twisted-Tape Inserts,” p. 577-581, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa 1978, studied heat transfer and pressure drop for laminar flowing oil in smooth and internally finned tubes with twisted-tape inserts.